Issue 16 - The biggest and the best (Glenfiddich)

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The biggest and the best (Glenfiddich)

Home of the biggest malt whisky distillery in Scotland and the world's best-selling single malt, Glenfiddich Distillery has consistently produced whisky that consumers can't get enough of. David Stirk visited to find out why this is so.

Somebody up there likes Glenfiddich. The Gods have smiled upon this particular distillery in Dufftown, certainly a believable theory when you consider that Glenfiddich has been the biggest selling single malt whisky for more than 30 years and eases around 750,000 cases of whisky out of its on-site bottling plant each year to be enjoyed in nearly 200 countries worldwide. Glenfiddich is a giant of a drink and all of us that enjoy single malts should pay homage.

Their dalliance with malt whisky began in 1963 when William Grant & Sons made the bold step of marketing their single malt whisky. “I think it would be fair to say that Glenfiddich pioneered the malt whisky category at a time when malts were only drunk in Scotland and a handful of lucky pockets around the world, and is still doing it today,” explains Jens Tholstrup, Glenfiddich's Global Brand Ambassador, as we chew the fat over a dram of the 12-year-old in the plush and spacious visitor centre.

Given enough time and encouragement, I am sure that Jens could go on and on (and on) about Glenfiddich without a hesitation or a repetition. He is probably the youngest Brand Ambassador the whisky world has ever seen: his youth makes him approachable yet his maturity affords him a wealth of product knowledgeable. He truly loves what he does and this is illustrated by his limitless enthusiasm not just for Glenfiddich but also for whisky and all things Scottish. Jens loves the area around Glenfiddich so much he moved there. B...